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@ppng There's nothing parasitic about it. Capital goods increase productivity, and they are created by the process of capital formation, whereby someone _defers their consumption_ into the future. I.e. let's say I produce a loaf of bread, but instead of eating it now I sell it, invest the money & later buy two loaves. That second loaf (approx) equals _the extra production_ that the original wealth I had created produced during the period I didn't consume it.
@ppng A curious addendum: the same amount of extra production would be created if instead of investing the money I just stuffed it in my mattress. https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ANYrRYWZ4K3DnhWDe/are-long-term-investments-a-good-way-to-help-the-future?commentId=NGtyBJKcreBFYQeDo
The importance of investment is that it allows capitalists to capture the value they create & thus incentivises capital formation.